Monchique council signs deal for 'LED lighting only'

The entire public lighting system across the municipality of Monchique is to be switched to LED* lighting, according to a protocol signed on Monday, January 15th, between the City Council and EDP Distribuição.

The deal aims to replace all types of public lighting with LEDs - covering urban, rural and semi-urban areas, gardens, public parks and leisure areas.

This will reduce the council's electricity bill - which is passed onto ratepayers. With this measure, the council intends to "reduce consumption and energy costs, covering the parishes of Monchique, Marmelete and Alferce."

The switch over will be completed in 2019 and the work already has begun in rural areas.

The protocol was signed by Rui André, mayor of Monchique, and Eugénio Sousa from EDP Distribuição.(see picture below)

For Rui André this change-over is economical in and environmentally friendly and he suggests everyone makes the change, "In addition to reducing the energy bill, which is so important for those with low budgets, LED technology can reduce maintenance costs and ensure long life of bulbs, reduce CO2 emissions and minimise waste."

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* LED stands for 'light emitting diode.' A diode is an electrical component with two terminals which conduct the electricity only in one direction. With an electrical current, the diode emits a bright light around the small bulb.

LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than traditional incandescent lights. 95% of the energy in LEDs is converted into light and only 5% is wasted as heat. This is compared to incandescent lights which convert 95% of energy to heat and only 5% into light.

Comments  

0 #8 Ed 2018-01-22 07:47

Quoting Nick Robinson:

LEDs may be more efficient but some studies are saying they're not healthy at all for you... https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/10/23/near-infrared-led-lighting.aspx

Interesting link for info on LED lighting, thanks Nick. I think the council's plan is for street and outside lighting but, if it includes lighting the inside of council offices, a health assessment should be carried out before everyone reads the adverse medical opinions and goes on strike.

+1 #7 Nick Robinson 2018-01-22 06:21

LEDs may be more efficient but some studies are saying they're not healthy at all for you... https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/10/23/near-infrared-led-lighting.aspx

+1 #6 TT 2018-01-21 22:59

Quoting Rob:

So that nice warm orange glow will be replaced by the cold glare of LEDs at no substantial saving then? The Algarve viewed from the A22 will look a sadder place.

Maybe or maybe not- modern LED's can be made to emit a 'warm' light, although these are not quite as efficient as the cool white variety.

+1 #5 Rob 2018-01-21 11:52

So that nice warm orange glow will be replaced by the cold glare of LEDs at no substantial saving then? The Algarve viewed from the A22 will look a sadder place.

+1 #4 Dr. What 2018-01-21 03:04

Someone doesn't know the difference between fluorescent and incandescent

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(Duly altered, thanks Dr What
Ed)

+1 #3 TT 2018-01-20 22:43

Whilst this may look like a step in the right direction, it's not as magnificent as it seems.
Current street lights use sodium discharge tubes which are in fact quite efficient anyway. So the savings will not be that great - especially given that there is an abundance of electricity at night time, so the only real winners are EDP Distribuição who will doubtlessly be supplying and installing the new lamps at vastly over-inflated prices.

(@ Ed- it's incandescent, not fluorescent lights that do the 95% heat / 5% light conversion!)

+1 #2 Mr John 2018-01-20 20:37

All of Quarteira is LED lit, yellow lights were replaced over 3 years ago with the new ones, Monchique is a bit slow, we are ahead by miles.

0 #1 Peter Booker 2018-01-19 09:52

Well done Monchique. The other councils in the Algarve should catch up - but much of the street lighting is unnecessary and all of it could be turned off at midnight. That would save electricity.

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